Dispensing carton for plastic articles

ABSTRACT

A dispensing carton for plastic sheet form articles capable of being manufactured from a single blank having removable tear strip defining an exit slot, and having an insert member as part of the unitary construction for holding said articles adjacent to said exit slot.

llll 3,583,597

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1965 K.T. Buttery.......

[72] Inventors Kenneth T. Buttery;

David D. Cornell, Kalamazoo, both of Mich. 739,540

[2 l 1 Appl. No. [22] Filed June 24, I968 Patented June 8, 1971 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant ExaminerDavid A. Scherbel Att0meyJoseph A. Barbosa [73] Assignee Brown Company New York, NY.

[54] DISPENSING CARTON FOR PLASTIC ARTICLES 11 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: A dispensing carton for plastic sheet form arti- B65h 1/00 cles capable of being manufactured from a single blank having 221/33- removable tear strip defining an exit slot, and having an insert member as part of the unitary construction for holding said articles adjacent to said exit slot.

Int. [50] Field of Search. 35, 63, 4455, 56-62, 305; 206/57, 57 A;

PATENTEU JUN 8 |97| SHEET 1 UF 3 KENN ETH T. BUTTERY 2 DAVID D.CORNEL L I NVEN'TOR5 PATENTED Jun 8 I97! SHEET 2 BF 3 KENNETH TBUTTERY DAVID D.CORNELL I NVENTORS PATENTED JUN 8 [an SHEEI 3 [1F 3 KENNETHTBUTTERY DAV] D D. CORNELL INVENTOR4$ DISPENSING CARTON FOR PLASTIC ARTICLES The present invention concerns dispensing cartons, and is more particularly concerned with cartons for dispensing discrete sheets or items of thin sheet material, especially of plastic, such as plastic sheets, sandwich bags, and the like.

Plastic film or sheet material such as polyethylene film is currently enjoying a well-deserved wide popularity for many applications, because the material even in thin film form is strong and relatively inexpensive. Moreover, because the material is sanitary, it lends itself well to use in food packaging. Consequently, one of the most important uses of plastic film is in the production of food wrappers such as sandwich bags, etc. However, because of the extreme thinness and relatively slippery nature of the material, discrete sheets, either alone or in the form of bags, are somewhat difficult to package and even more difficult to dispense from economical containers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing carton particularly well adapted for packaging and dispensing discrete sheets of plastic material, such as plastic bags. (It is a further object to provide such a carton which may be readily filled by means of automatic machinery.) It is a further object to provide such a carton with means for easy opening. Still another object is to provide a dispensing carton permitting individual bags to be readily withdrawn from the carton. An additional object is to provide a carton and insert for holding plastic material which may be readily and economically constructed from single cut and scored blank.

The accomplishment of the foregoing and addition objects will become more fully apparent after review of the following description.

The invention in several preferred embodiments is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a carton blank cut and scored to provide a dispensing carton according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the carton in FIG. I erected and filled.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the carton in FIG. 2 taken along section 3-3.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the carton in FIG. 2 being loaded.

FIG. 5 shows a carton blank according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a cutaway perspective view of the carton in FIG. 5, erected and filled.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along section 77 carton in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an end view of the carton in FIG. 6 being loaded.

FIG. 9 shows a carton blank according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the carton in FIG. 9 erected and filled.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the carton in FIG. 10 along section 11-11.

FIG. 12 is an end view ofthe carton in FIG. 10 being loaded.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. l4 illustrate the first embodiment of the invention, which is bottom filled. The carton is formed from an integral blank (FIG. 1) including a rear wall 4, a top 3, a front 2, and a bottom I. The rear wall 4, includes a glue base strip 5 from which projects an insert member 6. The top 3 and front 2 are provided with spaced apart substantially parallel perforations 7 defining a tearstrip 8 having a grip tab 9. Each perforation 7 is discontinuous at the center and the two parts thereof are connected by a semicircular score line forming a pair of recess tabs 10 and I1. However, perforation 7 may be located on either top 3 or front 2 so as to define a tear strip on either top 3 or front 2.

The carton is provided with rear end flaps 12, top flaps I3, and front end flaps I4. Glue base strip 5, is hingedly connected by means of a score line to rear wall 4. A flap recess is provided in the rear end flap 12 so that tab will be cleared when the carton is erected. As an alternative arrangement, flaps 12 and 13 may be enlarged to serve as the outer end flaps in place of front end flap. The insert member will project from the glue base strip 5 at score line 511. Glue flap end flaps 14a are hingedly connected to front end flaps 14.

In erecting the carton, the rear wall 4, front 2 and top 3 are folded, and end flaps I2 and 13 are glued to glue base strip 5.

For loading, the carton is inverted and filled through the bottom, and thereafter bottom I is glued over the glue base strip 5, and bottom end flaps, 14a, as described herein after resulting in the strong sealed structure illustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 4, a pile of plastic film bags I6 are draped over insert member 6 as illustrated. The loaded insert member 6 is then folded into the erected carton body so that the plastic bags are folded as shown in FIG. 3.

Glue flap end flaps 14a are then folded over glue base strip 5, and bottom I is then closed or vice versa. The carton may then be sealed by applying heat rolls over bottom I, activating the heat-sensitive adhesive strip 5b on glue base strip 5, or adhesive may be applied at the time of closing the carton.

Bottom 1 is thus glued to glue base strip 5 so that edge 19 of the folded strip is presented to the corner of the carton 20 adjacent to the tear strip 8. The completed arrangement is shown in FIG. 3.

The carton may be opened for dispensing its contents by gripping the tab 9 and removing the tear strip 8 resulting in an open exit slot 20 in FIG. 3 with a central finger port 21 shown in FIG. 2. Removal of tab portions 10 and 11 of the tear strips permits a finger to be inserted into exit slot 20 so as to grasp a plastic sheet or bag within the carton, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 58 illustrate a second embodiment in which the glue base strip 35 is substantially widened and the insert member 36 reenters near the front wall 32.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, glue base strip 35 which is an ex' tension of rear wall 34, continues when erected from the score line 34a substantially to the front wall 32, where it is scored 36a for reentry by insert member 36 toward exit slot 50.

In loading the carton as illustrated in FIG. 8, plastic bags 46 are draped over insert member 36, which is then folded into the carton along score 36a, so that the plastic bags are disposed as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Thereafter, bottom flap 31 is folded over glue base strip 35, which when heat sealed results in a strong stable sealed carton structure as shown in FIG. 6. This embodiment has the peculiar advantage of superior rigidity along the glue base strip 35, for handling with machinery.

FIGS. 9-I2 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention in which the glue flap 61 extends from the front wall 62, so that when the carton is erected, glue flap 6I folds along score line 61a and adheres to rear wall 64 along the glue base strip 65.

The insert member 66 is an extension of rear wall 64 which folds along score line 64a and reenters into the carton diagonally toward the exit slot 70 which is located along the edge defined by the top 63 and front wall 62.

In loading the carton as illustrated in FIG. I2, plastic bags 76 are draped over insert member 66, and folded into the carton as shown in FIG. 1].

Thereafter, the carton is sealed by folding glueflap 61 over rear wall 64 for heat sealing along glue base strip 65.

This third embodiment has the advantage of providing superior backing for adhering the bottom 61 to the rear wall 64.

The width of the insert member should preferably be substantially the same as the width of the bags which it is to support. The length of the member should be such as to place the sheaf of plastic bags at the opposite edge of the carton, leaving sufficient space between the edge of the member and the exit slot to accommodate the sheaf of plastic bags. The bags will therefore be properly presented at the exit slot formed upon removal of the tear strip of the carton and the fold will be maintained in proper orientation until all of the bags have been dispensed from the carton.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, or exact materials or embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and

the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What We claim is:

l. A dispensing carton for plastic sheet form articles capable of being manufactured from a single blank, said carton having top, bottom, front wall, rear wall, and end wall panel members cooperating to form a closed carton, one of said top, bottom, front wall and rear wall panel members having perforations defining a tear strip, said perforations upon removal of said tear strip defining an exit slot giving access to the interior of said carton, said bottom and said rear wall being adhered to each other along a glue base strip portion of said rear wall, an insert member integral with and extending from said rear wall and reentering substantially in the direction of said exit slot, and a plurality of thin sheet form articles folded about the leading edge of said insert member adjacent to said exit slot.

2. A dispensing carton according to claim 1 in which said glue strip is provided along an extension of said rear wall between said rear wall and said insert member.

3. A dispensing carton according to claim 2 in which said exit slot is located along the edge defined by said front wall and top.

4. A dispensing carton according to claim 3 in which said exit slot is provided with recess tabs.

5. A dispensing carton according to claim 1, in which said glue strip is provided along an extension of said rear wall, between said rear wall and said insert member said extension projecting substantially to said front wall.

6. A dispensing carton according to claim 5, in which said exit slot is located along the edge defined by said top and rear wall.

7. A dispensing carton according to claim 6 in which said exit slot is provided with recess tabs.

8. A dispensing carton according to claim 1, in which said glue strip is provided along said rear wall, and said bottom has a portion extending before and adhering to said rear wall.

9. A dispensing carton according to claim 8, in which said glue base strip is provided along the base of said rear wall.

10. A dispensing carton according to claim 9, in which said exit slot is located along the edge defined by said top and front wall.

ll. A dispensing carton according to claim 10 in which said exit slot is provided with recess tabs. 

1. A dispensing carton for plastic sheet form articles capable of being manufactured from a single blank, said carton having top, bottom, front wall, rear wall, and end wall panel members cooperating to form a closed carton, one of said top, bottom, front wall and rear wall panel members having perforations defining a tear strip, said perforations upon removal of said tear strip defining an exit slot giving access to the interior of said carton, said bottom and said rear wall being adhered to each other along a glue base strip portion of said rear wall, an insert member integral with and extending from said rear wall and reentering substantially in the direction of said exit slot, and a plurality of thin sheet form articles folded about the leading edge of said insert member adjacent to said exit slot.
 2. A dispensing carton according to claim 1 in which said glue strip is provided along an extension of said rear wall between said rear wall and said insert member.
 3. A dispensing carton according to claim 2 in which said exit slot is located along the edge defined by said front wall and top.
 4. A dispensing carton according to claim 3 in which said exit slot is provided with recess tabs.
 5. A dispensing carton according to claim 1, in which said glue strip is provided along an extension of said rear wall, between said rear wall and said insert member said extension projecting substantially to said front wall.
 6. A dispensing carton according to claim 5, in which said exit slot is located along the edge defined by said top and rear wall.
 7. A dispensing carton according to claim 6 in which said exit slot is provided with recess tabs.
 8. A dispensing carton according to claim 1, in which said glue strip is provided along said rear wall, and said bottom has a portion extending before and adhering to said rear wall.
 9. A dispensing carton according to claim 8, in which said glue base strip is provided along the base of said rear wall.
 10. A dispensing carton according to claim 9, in which said exit slot is located along the edge defined by said top and front wall.
 11. A dispensing carton according to claim 10 in which said exit slot is provided with recess tabs. 